Breach
by AlabamaWorley
Summary: Season 4 "premiere" - no spoilers


**Title: **Breach  
**Rating: **R (language and adult content)  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own Smallville, Superman: The Movie, or any of the characters contained within. This story is strictly for entertainment purposes.  
**Summary:** My take on some possibilities for season 4 - takes place immediately following Covenant (no spoilers)

* * *

_Martha..._

She started from her reverie. She'd been very intently studying her Bible, having sought out a part she thought might bring her some comfort from her panic while she waited for her husband to return with their son. Unfortunately, her recollection of the passage had been very hazy, and she now found herself reading Luke 2:49 over and over as the hysteria built somewhere between her pounding heart and her turbulent stomach. Anyone could have walked in without her notice, but a quick look around revealed no one who could have spoken her name. Taking a shaky breath, she bent her head in frantic prayer.

_Martha..._

This time she was sure she'd heard it, and she was just as sure that she recognized the voice. She'd heard it once before, shortly before Clark had arrived. But that had just been a dream... hadn't it?

_Martha..._

It seemed the voice was moving away. Martha rose hesitantly and walked slowly towards the door. Once she was on the porch, she 

As if in a trance, she obeyed the voice, moving slowly to the fence. In the back of her mind she wondered if Maleficent would be waiting in the field with a spindle, but she couldn't bring herself to stop.

Suddenly, a flame burst from the ground. Martha jumped backwards briefly, then continued to the fence. Before her eyes, the small fire exploded into a giant Kryptonian conflagration. Her stomach lurched as she recognized the symbol from her long ago dream.

_Martha...I haven't the strength to stay long... you must save our son..._

Slowly, a figure took shape from the smoke and glided toward her. A ghostly hand reached for hers, its translucent skin seemingly unaffected by the flames that licked at its wrist.

"Martha... will you trust me?"

Martha met the phantom fingers with her own, marveling at the déjà vu she felt when the reality of the cool fingers merged with the memory of her dream.

"Yes, Lara... I'm listening..."

* * *

Lex lay curled in a fetal position in the midst of the broken glass on the floor, his fingers working of their own accord as they plucked in vain at the agony in his throat. He was aware of even the smallest capillary as each beat of his heart pumped the burning poison further through his body. Mustering all of the strength of will he possessed, he demanded his blood rally against the invading toxin.

The will of a Luthor is nothing to take lightly. Lex was still coherent enough to wonder if he was hallucinating when the footsteps sounded on the marble floor.

"Hey big brother, come out, come out wherever you are... I heard it was safe for me to come home, what with daddy dearest in the sla- Lex? Lex!"

He allowed himself to drift into blessed unconsciousness when he saw the cell phone already at Lucas' ear. Help was on the way.

* * *

The blast was completely unexpected. Acting purely on instinct, she fired herself toward the house, then stopped short when she realized her target was lying half off the front porch. Grabbing the motionless body took only the briefest of seconds, but even that moment of substantiality amid the flames was brutal; it made her wonder if there was anything left to save. Nevertheless, she transported herself and her passenger a safe distance from the house, then started back for her other charge.

One glance told her it was too late. She sighed at the loss of part of her income, but she'd made it out with the big money. She listened silently at the girl's chest, then sat back with relief: she was still alive. Flipping open her cell phone, Alicia dialed 911.

* * *

Her mind racing, Martha jumped out of the truck and ran down to the entrance to the caves.

"Jonathan?" she cried anxiously. The light was dim, but she searched frantically for her husband. Finally, her eyes adjusted enough to catch sight of the folder he'd been carrying lying on the ground. Hurrying toward it, she nearly tripped over his still form.

"Jonathan!" she cried. She bent over him to listen for some sign that he might be alive and immediately felt his warm breath stir the fine hairs around her ear. She pulled out her cell phone and called for an ambulance.

* * *

When the paramedics arrived, Lucas stepped back and searched for paper and pen on Lex's desk. He scribbled a quick note of explanation and tucked it under the laptop, then slipped unnoticed out the door.

Later, Lex lay in a bed in the emergency room cursing himself for his lack of diligence. He had _known_ his father would have it in for him, and he hadn't even considered taking extra precautions against it. He wondered if perhaps some small part of him hadn't welcomed the challenge, the chance to prove that he could take a direct hit from Lionel Luthor and come out of it alive. But if it hadn't been for his body's heightened immune system, he wouldn't have.

He hadn't taken such risks with those he'd promised to protect, though. His mind drifted back to a conversation he'd had the week before.

"_Why would I even consider helping you or this girl?" Alicia asked. She was showing remarkable calm considering the fury she must be feeling. Lex's people had managed to trap her in a lead cage. If she wouldn't cooperate, she'd have to stay there._

"_Because," Lex replied slowly, "Clark Kent cares about this young woman... like a sister. I'm sure he'd be very grateful to anyone who helped to keep her safe."_

_Alicia stared at him coolly for a few moments before she answered._

"_What are you paying?"_

"_One million for the girl, five hundred thousand for her father. Three separate identities and airfare to the destination of your choice after the job is complete." _

"_And you'll make sure Clark knows what I did?"_

"_Of course."_

Considering his current position, he just prayed he'd done enough.

* * *

Quickly ending the emergency call before it could go through, Alicia gritted her teeth in aggravation. If she had someone retrieve Chloe from this site, it was a sure bet she'd never make it to the hospital alive.

The identities Lex had provided were very, very good. Unfortunately, only one of them would hold up under a thorough background check. Conveniently, it was also the only one that Chloe could have passed off as her own.

With a sigh, Alicia tucked the ID into the pocket on Chloe's less-burned side. Gently laying her hand on the unconscious girl's leg, she closed her eyes and imagined the most distant hospital she was familiar with. By the time the fire engines arrived, they were gone.

* * *

Jonathan Kent took a deep breath as he considered all his wife had just told him.

"And you're sure you can trust her?" he asked.

"I'm sure. I... I guess I've always felt a sort of connection to her, but I just thought it was because she'd given birth to the child I raised as my own. But now I know... we'd spoken before. And... well, we've been sort of connected ever since."

"Then I guess you'd better go."

"You're sure you'll be alright?"

"Martha, I'm fine. The doctor said I can go as soon as they get me the paperwork. Clark needs you now."

She kissed her husband lightly, then turned to go. Once she was outside, she dialed the number she'd looked up earlier.

"Yes, I need a ticket for the next flight to New York City..."

* * *

Clark writhed in pain, trying to force his body to function normally now that the attacks had abated for the moment. Over the past hours, he had slowly come to realize that there was no rhyme or reason to the torture Jor-el was inflicting on him. It was enough to make him hurt, to drive every last rational thought from his aching mind. Once his biological father had accomplished that, he'd be able to possess Clark with his own thoughts and agendas. Vaguely, Clark remembered the moments he'd spent in his father's shoes, circa 1961. He couldn't fathom how that man, who'd found it possible to briefly lose himself in his love for Lana's aunt, could possibly have become a monster that would go to such lengths to destroy his own son. It was like he'd been taken over by an intergalactic version of Lionel Luthor. Clark suddenly found himself regretting his haste in dismissing Lex without giving him a chance to defend himself against what had obviously been a ploy by Lionel to drive a wedge between them. He should have—

Clark forgot what he should have done as Jor-el's "therapy" began again. He'd have to come back to that later.

* * *

Martha stood outside the massive planetarium and looked up for a moment. From this building, one could see the place where Krypton blew up. If Lara was right, one could also now see where "Jor-el" had taken Clark.

Once inside, Martha took a deep breath and did her best to assume the demeanor that had once made her sure she would make a terrific lawyer. Then she walked up to the receptionist.

"I need to see Dr. Virgil Swann immediately."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Swann is a very busy man. Can I set up a time for you to return in a week or--"

"You get on your little intercom and tell Dr. Swann that Martha Kent is here to see him _right now_." Martha was surprised at the bite in her voice, but she could tell the receptionist was wavering.

"I... um... just a moment." The young woman hurried back into the security station behind her desk. A few moments later, she emerged with a uniform-clad guard.

"Right this way, ma'am," he said. He led Martha into an elevator and inserted a key from a chain around his neck. He then pressed several of the numbered floor buttons in rapid succession and the elevator began to move.

* * *

Lex waited for his limo outside the ambulance bay. Jonathan had grudgingly accepted his offer of a ride home, and the two now stood in uncomfortable silence as each wondered how much the other knew of their current predicaments. Lex swallowed hard, then spoke.

"Where's Clark?"

"There was an emergency. He and Martha had to leave town."

"Anything I can do?"

"Just note the date and time in your little room, I guess."

Lex clenched his jaw and turned away. In the distance, they could hear the sound of an approaching ambulance. They stepped up onto the sidewalk and watched idly as the paramedics pulled a sheeted body from the back of the vehicle. Jonathan waved when he recognized his friend Robert Fitzgerald climbing down from the driver's seat.

"Robert, are you okay?"

"Wha—Oh, hi Jon. Sorry, I'm just still a little shocked at what we brought in. You think you'll get used to seeing this stuff, but you never do."

"What happened?"

"Well... I guess it'll be out soon enough anyway. House explosion. Gabe Sullivan was killed immediately from the looks of it."

Lex could have sworn that the world tipped, and his stomach lurched violently in response.

"Chloe?" he managed to croak.

"That's the daughter? No sign of her. I guess they'll be trying to track her down to tell her what happened. She a friend of yours, Mr. Luthor?" Robert asked gently.

Lex looked into Jonathan Kent's pale face and knew his own must be a mirror of it. Luckily, the limo pulled up at that moment.

"Something like that," he muttered as he climbed in. Jonathan followed silently.

* * *

Martha tapped her fingers on the arm of her chair in agitation. Her son's existence hung in the balance, and she didn't have a lot of patience for whatever Dr. Swann happened to be working on. She briefly considered calling to check on Jonathan, but she couldn't let anything distract her from what she had to do.

"Mrs. Kent," said a voice from the door. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Martha rose.

"Dr. Swann, I don't have a lot of time. Clark has been taken to a place called the Phantom Zone by... something. I have to have the key to bring him back, and I can't do it without your help."

"The key?"

"Yes. I know you have it. I don't know what your intentions were in bringing it here, and I don't care. I do know that you manipulated a magic tesseract to do it, and I need you to do that again." She took a shaky breath, relieved that she'd gotten that out without forgetting the word.

Dr. Swann stared at Martha for a few moments. Finally, he nodded.

"Follow me." He led her into the corridor he'd entered from. "The key is a valuable tool in detailing the galaxy as it lies between here and Krypton's former location. I'm certain it contains star maps beyond anything we've yet conceived of here on Earth. Unfortunately, I've been unable to access any information it contains beyond tracking it with enough accuracy to retrieve it from Lionel Luthor."

"Apparently you also retrieved it from the entity that took my son. It's the only way to get him back."

"Mrs. Kent, I appreciate your need to rescue Clark. However, as I've mentioned, I don't know how to access any of the information contained in the key, and I doubt I'll figure it out in the few days required to construct the--"

"Just open the portal. Leave the rest to me."

* * *

The next day, Lex sat in his office idly watching his screensaver dance across the display on his laptop. There had still been no sign of Chloe's body. The FBI agents that had dropped them off claimed that they'd left them at least a half an hour before the explosion. Lex knew from the conversation he'd had with Jonathan in the limo that that was a lie; Chloe had been at the Kent farm forty minutes before, and there was no way she could have made it home and back to the safe house that quickly.

Safe house. What a joke. They'd left the Sullivans in a house in the very town they lived in. The FBI was baffled as to how that mistake had occurred, but Lex wasn't. His father's money stretched far. Absently rubbing his throat, he wondered what would have happened to Clark if he hadn't been unexpectedly called out of town. He assumed Jonathan's injury was somehow connected, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to ask.

The sound of footsteps pulled him out of his reverie. He looked up to see a tall brunette standing uncomfortably in the hallway outside his door.

"The door was open. I didn't see any staff..." she said.

"So you decided to wander through my home until you found me?"

"Well, um... yes."

"I see." Lex leaned back in his chair and appraised the young woman. A careful look at her features left no doubt in his mind as to her identity. "Miss Lane, you bear striking resemblance to your cousin. Please, have a seat. You'll have to excuse the lack of formality – I fired my entire staff this morning."

Lois perched gingerly on the edge of her chair.

"It's probably best we're alone, because I need a direct answer from you. Please tell me you know where Chloe is."

"I'm sorry, I don't. I wish I did."

"Right, key witness and all."

Lex's eyes narrowed as he glared at his guest.

"That is the least of my worries right now."

Lois nodded slightly.

"Good. My parents are busy planning Uncle Gabe's funeral and my sister is too horrified to think straight. I need your help."

Lex sat up and placed his hands flat on his desk.

"Where do you propose we begin?"

* * *

Lana lay in bed, her eyes closed. The room was dark, the windows open. The gentle stir of the drapes in the soft Parisian breeze would have been idyllic had her thoughts not been halfway around the world.

Pete's email had been brief. Gabe Sullivan, the closest thing to a father she had ever had, was dead. Chloe was missing; Chloe, who had stood by her despite the lack of return on her part, who had always seemed surprised that she was seemingly incapable of being a true friend no matter how many times she had proved it to her... Chloe, who probably needed her now more than ever, but was nowhere to be found.

Lana took a shaky breath. Pete's email had included the details of the memorial service, but there was no way she could attend. She didn't have the money to get there, and there was no way she was going to ask Lex for help yet again. She didn't want to be that girl anymore. Besides, going back would just put her back into the skin she'd allowed herself to live in for years. The whole town would recognize that yet another person had been brutally ripped from the life of the little pink fairy princess, and her resolve to grow into the woman she wanted to be wasn't strong enough yet to be tempted with the ease of slipping back into that role.

And she needed to be strong. She needed as much time as possible to find the girl that would have been had a meteor shower never rocked Smallville. She could mourn Gabe just as well from a distance, but when the time came, she wouldn't hesitate to return.

She need to be strong, because when Chloe was found, she would be on the first plane back. Until then, all she could do was wait... and grow.

* * *

Pete sat in the Kents' living room. The silence had fallen between he and Jonathan nearly an hour before, but the two men were comfortable in their shared vigil. Martha had called that morning and explained to her husband that her one shot at rescuing their son would play out that afternoon. They had little hope that she would call before they left for Gabe's memorial service, but still they kept the phone on the coffee table in front of them.

Beyond that was their growing concern over Chloe's whereabouts. The FBI claimed that, to their knowledge, she had been with Gabe when the house exploded. However, they had already deduced that the FBI was either lying or woefully inept, and the lingering question of why the Sullivans had been kept in Smallville remained. Pete's heart was breaking over the thought that he might never see his friend again, while Jonathan grieved for the so very young girl that he was nearly certain was dead.

Finally, the older man cleared his throat.

"Time to go."

"Guess so."

"She'll leave a message."

"I know."

Still, they sat for several more minutes before rising to leave for the church, neither of them sure whether they were talking about Martha or Chloe. It didn't matter. Either way, she'd leave a message.

* * *

Martha noticed her hands were shaking slightly. Small wonder – she had one chance to get her son back on her own terms, and if it didn't work... well, no sense thinking about that now.

Dr. Swann inclined his head toward her.

"Ready?"

"Ready." Martha clutched the key tightly against her palm and held her breath. Dr. Swann gave his computer several voice commands and a low hum filled the gigantic room. The large frame in the center began to spark and smoke; in a flash, a swirling vortex filled its middle. Martha lifted her hand, holding the key so it faced the portal.

"I'm ready," she whispered softly.

Virgil Swann prided himself on the fact that very little surprised him. However, he was startled by the ghostly silhouette that surrounded Martha Kent and merged its palm with hers, and further taken aback by the blinding light that suddenly emanated from the key and shone upon the portal. Slowly, the undulating energies within began to take shape.

Martha closed her eyes against the bright beam of the key. She was somewhat unnerved by the sensation of being partially possessed by a dead woman, but at the same time, Lara's presence was comforting. Her first visit had heralded the imminent arrival of her son, and they both hoped that this encounter would yield the same result. As the key bent the tesseract to its will, Lara gently urged Martha forward. They peered through the opening together, then stepped inside.

Martha blinked to help her eyes accustom to the darkness. She was on a small platform, and her son lay not far from her. His naked body was covered with a clammy sweat, and she was certain his half-open eyes did not see her. She rushed over to him.

"Clark?"

There was no response from the still form.

_My son..._

Martha wasn't certain whether the words had been spoken aloud or if she'd merely heard them inside her head, but as her body bent to kiss her son's forehead, she was aware of tears coursing down her cheeks that weren't entirely hers. Her fingers gently brushed the hair from Clark's pale face, and she was filled with an aching joy that was foreign to her own emotions.

"What are you doing here?" a voice suddenly rumbled from the opaque air that surrounded them. Clark screamed in agony while his body seized from some unseen pain. Martha fell back as Lara tore herself away. "Kal-el is mine!"

Lara's penetrating gaze bored into Martha's eyes.

"Promise me you will tell Kal-el that this is _not _Jor-el!"

"I promise."

"You know what you must do. Do not fail our son!"

"I won't."

Lara nodded, then turned to face the void.

"You will not have him!" she screamed.

Martha could not see what happened after Lara disappeared, but the noise was deafening. She grabbed Clark under the shoulders and struggled to drag him back to Earth. By the time she reached the opening, she was gasping for air. She quickly hooked the pulley they had set up to Clark's body and Dr. Swann activated the winch. It began to pull the unconscious young man toward the small booth across the room.

As the portal began to close, Martha reached into her pocket. The day that Clark had been taken to the Phantom Zone, Lara had given her very specific instructions for his rescue – and very specific directions to a potent weapon hidden within the cave. The Kryptonian script engraved on it was indecipherable to her, but she only needed to press one button to make it work. She tossed the small bomb into the vortex; a tiny wisp of smoke escaped just before the opening closed completely. It was done.

She hurried over to the small chamber that now held her son's body and laid the key on the floor next to him before the door slid shut. Dr. Swann rolled up next to her as powerful red lights kicked on inside the booth.

"Do you think it will work?" he asked quietly.

"Lara said the only way to purge Clark and the other Kryptonian things of the... infection... was to return them to their natural state for a few hours." She shivered. "It has to work."

"For Clark's sake, I hope she was right."

* * *

Lex sat in silence at the back of the church. The memorial was nearly over, but his attention was elsewhere. He hadn't heard from Alicia at all since the explosion. The expense account he'd set up hadn't been touched. He and Lois had thus far been unable to find any trace of Chloe. She was simply... gone.

Chloe... his mind flitted back to the last twenty-four hours before her disappearance. It had only been a week, but it seemed much longer.

_She had been so brave that night at the mansion. She was determined to rid herself and her father of the shadow of Lionel Luthor forever. He'd been entranced by her eyes, by a desire to see the haunted look fade away until she could look at him with nothing clouding her vision. He'd told himself that he was only taking her hand to lead her to the door, that her hand on his arm was only for reassurance. He'd wanted to let go of her... he really had..._

_His hands at her waist, his lips at her neck, he'd guided her up the stairs to his bedroom without a word. She'd melted into him once the door was closed, and he'd forgotten everything they had to fear as he'd lost himself to kissing her. She'd clung to him at first, her tears sliding down his cheeks; slowly she'd relaxed, and he'd carried her to the bed. He'd been surprised to find that he wasn't her first... shocked to realize he intended to be her last. Afterwards, he'd buried his face in her neck and breathed her in, desperate not to let the moment pass._

"_Only I could fall in love at a time like this," she'd said wryly. _

_He'd lifted his head to smile at her._

"_Not **only** you, Chloe... not only you..."_

He sighed. He never should have let her leave his side. The next day at the Courthouse, they'd carefully remained strictly platonic, keeping their feelings secret by unspoken agreement. He'd pulled her behind a pillar in the parking garage to kiss her good-bye. She'd held him tight and whispered her love in his ear. Then she was gone.

Chloe was gone.

"Lex Luthor!" The voice echoed throughout the church, and the gathered mourners turned to see who could be so rude. Lex didn't have to look to recognize the voice. He felt the unfamiliar prick of tears behind his eyes as he rose with a smile on his face.

"You murdering bastard!" she screamed. She slapped him hard across the face. Stunned, he could only stare at her.

Chloe was back.

* * *

"Hey Luthor! You up here somewhere?"

Lex looked up from the box he was carefully packing and sighed with relief. He'd been waiting for her arrival.

"End of the hall, Miss Lane!" He glanced around the room and briefly considered meeting her in the corridor, but decided against it. He didn't have the energy for secrets after all that had run through his mind since Chloe had been removed from the memorial by paramedics with tranquilizers. The clicking footsteps reached the door and entered his most private of rooms.

"Um..." Lois started as her gaze swept what was left of his obsession and settled on the four foot photo of Clark Kent. "I'm sure there's something here you don't want to tell me, so let's just keep it that way, okay?"

"That would be fine."

"Right. Okay. So, Chloe tells me that you've been paying her to come up with lies about your father's involvement with his parents' death for some time now. She thought it would all end when you had your little brush with the super-duper joy buzzer, but then you paid her even more to claim he had been drugging you. You threatened her and Uncle Gabe's life and fired him to prove your point. You're also blackmailing the Kents with some secret you know about Clark so he'll go along with it. Any of this sound familiar?"

"I'm... I... No! That's not what happened at all! Lois, you must believe me, I--"

"I do believe you."

"What?"

"I do believe you. Chloe and I have always been very close, and she's shared things with me she wouldn't dare trust with anyone else. I talked to her right before she left for the Grand Jury hearing. We had a... good talk." Lois gave Lex a very pointed look. "So... I do believe you, Luthor."

Lex nodded slowly.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. But, that means we have to figure out what's rotten in Smallville."

"It's the crap factory. People ask all the time," said a voice at the door. Lois turned to face the newcomer, who extended his hand to her. "Chloe's shown me your picture, Lois. I'm Clark Kent."

"I know who you are," Lois replied, ignoring the proffered hand. She turned back to Lex. "Any ideas?"

"My father, of course. Maybe if I talked to her..."

"No, I don't think that's a good idea. She wants your head on a platter." Lois smiled sympathetically at Lex's wince. "Sorry. But I think it's best if you steer clear of her right now."

"Well, maybe I could talk to her," Clark said. "She's not mad at me is she?"

Lois regarded him coolly.

"Actually, she was bemoaning her lack of friends here, and you and Miss Lang were high on the shitlist. Been making out in the barn again, Clark?" At his puzzled look, she shrugged. "Whatever. No, I don't think you can help, but I also think you're an ass. What can I say?"

"Whoa, Chloe and I have been doing fine for months now. What are you talking about?"

Lois shrugged again.

"You know what I know. It's not a priority for me right now. I would like to submit that you were both conspicuously absent the entire week she was missing, though."

Clark shifted uncomfortably.

"Did she say where she'd been during that time?" Lex asked.

"No, she's been really vague about that. I got the impression your father had something to do with it, though, because she sort of alluded to how bad she felt for helping to frame him when he was being so kind to her."

"All right. Let me do some checking. I'll be in touch."

"Okay. I'd better get back. Besides, it looks like you two have some..." She took another look at the various displays and pictures around the room. "...something." Chuckling to herself, she jogged up the steps and out the door. Silence descended.

"Nice tan," Lex finally said.

"Thanks. Listen, about before... I should have given you a chance to explain."

"You had every right to be angry with me."

"I know, but..." Clark stopped as the giant photo to his left caught his eye. "Can we do this somewhere else?"

"Yes let's."

* * *

**JayhawkFan:** hey girl, sup?

**FrenchTwist: **Nothing. You?

**JayhawkFan:** just got home. u wud not believe the ppl that bought the Talon they are really weird

**FrenchTwist:** Oh? What are they putting in?

**JayhawkFan:** sum healthfood crap they're hippies

**FrenchTwist: **What are they going to do with the theatre?

**JayhawkFan:** idk ur gonna flip when u c it tho, they painted the whole thing in "soothing earth tones"

**FrenchTwist:** Pete! Enough with the chatspeak! You sound like a 12 year old girl!

**JayhawkFan:** Who's Pete?

**JayhawkFan:** I am a 12 year old girl.

**JayhawkFan:** Oh shit! You're not FrenchTickler!

**FrenchTwist:** Ha ha.

**JayhawkFan: **Sorry, I'm just stressed.

**FrenchTwist:** Did Chloe come back yet?

**JayhawkFan:** Yeah, she showed up at the memorial.

**FrenchTwist:** Is she okay? Why didn't you call me?

**JayhawkFan:** Lana, she flipped out. It was really scary. She doesn't seem like she's been physically hurt, but she thinks Lex killed her dad. She's telling everybody it was all his setup and he forced her and Clark to go along with it. She was hitting him and screaming. They had to call an ambulance to come get her.

**FrenchTwist:** Oh my God. Is she alright?

**JayhawkFan:** Yeah, her aunt Ellen and her cousins are staying with her in her house.

**FrenchTwist:** What did Lex say?

**JayhawkFan:** You know how I hate to give credit to a Luthor, but he was really cool with her. He just tried to hold on to her and calm her down. He seemed pretty upset after she left. That's saying a lot for Mr. Poker Face.

**JayhawkFan:** I really don't think he did it

**FrenchTwist:** Of course he didn't. It's his father.

**JayhawkFan:** I know.

**FrenchTwist:** I should come home.

**JayhawkFan:** I don't think so. Not yet anyway.

**FrenchTwist:** Why not? Chloe needs her friends right now, I can't help her from here.

**JayhawkFan:** She seems pretty angry with you and Clark. I'm not sure why. Lois said it's because of all the stuff you all did behind her back, but she can't come up with anything that isn't old news.

**JayhawkFan:** You still there?

**FrenchTwist:** Just thinking. I guess I'll wait then. She's going through enough without trying to work through our issues, too.

**JayhawkFan:** I'm sorry. It must be hard to be so far away from everything that's happening.

**FrenchTwist:** Kind of. I just feel helpless.

**JayhawkFan:** It will work out. It always does. I'll tell you as soon as it's safe to come.

**FrenchTwist:** Okay. Thanks.

**JayhawkFan:** Everything else going okay? How's classes?

**FrenchTwist:** They're okay. My sketch class is the best, Lit is good too. Did you start football camp yet?

**JayhawkFan:** No, they start later in Wichita.

**JayhawkFan:** Lois just paged me, I better go.

**FrenchTwist:** Okay. Thanks Pete. hug

**JayhawkFan:** hug Talk 2u soon. ;-)

**FrenchTwist: **smartass

**JayhawkFan:** Bye

**FrenchTwist: **Bye

* * *

"So you and Lex talked everything through?" Jonathan asked as he struggled to drag a gigantic spotlight down into the cave.

"Yeah," Clark replied. He was following his father, easily carrying another light. Jonathan had insisted that his son take it easy for a few days, and would therefore not let him simply superspeed the heavy cans into place. "I think it will be a while before I trust him completely, but we have more important things to worry about right now."

"I take it Chloe's not making any more sense."

"I don't think so. I haven't heard from anyone yet."

"That Lois looks a lot like her. She's cute," Martha said lightly. She was in the corner of the cave plugging the lights into the backup generator they'd brought from the farm.

"She thinks I'm an ass." Clark furrowed his brow. "She told me so." His puzzled look changed to irritation as both of his parents burst out laughing. Jonathan set his lamp down and clapped him on the back.

"You certainly have a way with women, son."

Smirking, Clark turned back to the lamps. There were six total, standing at intervals around the cave.

"And once this is done, what then? Will some new voice start speaking to me?" he asked his mother.

"I don't know, sweetie. We'll just have to see." She reached up to squeeze his hand.

"Son, this will take several hours. Why don't you take off? Martha and I can keep watch."

"I should stay. What if someone comes?"

"If someone comes down here while these lights are on, they'll probably be cooked alive anyway. I think we can handle it. Go show off your new tan while it lasts."

Clark grinned and stuck out his golden brown arms.

"Maybe I should keep one of those as a tanning bed."

"Dr. Swann loaned us these in exchange for more time with the key. I don't think a nice tan is really worth giving that up for good," Martha said, starting out of the cave. Jonathan followed her.

"Martha, he does need all the help with the ladies that he can get. You heard him, Lois Lane thinks he's an ass." Their laughter drifted back to Clark.

"You guys are hilarious," he muttered as he followed them outside.

Once they reached the fresh air, Martha clicked a button on the remote Dr. Swann had given her. An LED blinked, indicating that the lights below were on.

"I guess I'll take off then," Clark said. "Maybe Pete's heard something." He disappeared into the night.

"Well, Mrs. Kent. We seem to be alone in a deserted field. Whatever shall we do with ourselves?" Jonathan stood behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her against him.

"Why, Mr. Kent! You certainly have a way with women..." Her soft laughter carried across the still meadow as they tumbled into the grass.

* * *

Clark sat drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, staring silently at the Sullivan home. He'd come to see Chloe and try to get past her seemingly unfounded anger with him; she'd come through for him more times than he could count, and it was killing him to be forced into exile when she needed support. Besides that, he really wanted to find out why she suddenly thought Lex had been the one behind the blast. Despite the uncertainty of their friendship, Clark refused to believe that the young pariah was capable of what she was accusing him of.

He shifted uncomfortably in the cab of the pick-up. Chloe had refused his calls, and he doubted his visit was going to be well-received. Pete had tried to reason with her, but she seemed determined to hang on to her animosity. She'd given no real reason, other than to insist that she'd been betrayed by two of her best friends for the last time.

Finally, Clark took a deep breath and opened the door to climb out. If he sat there much longer, she'd probably see him and call the police anyway. Several long strides carried him onto the porch. Bracing for the worst, he knocked.

He didn't have to wait long. He heard feet pounding down the stairs before the door was unceremoniously yanked open.

"Forget your key, nitwi- Oh. What do you want?"

"Expecting someone, Lois?"

"Yeah, my sister. Again, what do you want?"

"I want to see Chloe."

Lois snorted.

"I'm not sure that's a great idea, Clark."

"Look, I know she's mad at me, but I didn't do anything to her... recently. Something's not right with her, Lois."

"No shit, Clark. Her father was murdered in a house explosion that almost killed her too."

Clark sighed and rubbed his face.

"That's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant." Lois sighed as her eyes wandered over Clark's shoulder to look outside. She was quiet for a moment.

"So can I see her? Please? Just for few minutes, I promise I'll leave if she gets upset."

"I just don't think it's a good idea right now." Clark started to protest, but she held up her hand. "Look, I know you mean well, but Chloe really can't handle any more conflict for the time-being. She's been under a lot of pressure from the feds over changing her story, and she's pretty stressed. So... just... okay?"

"I... okay. But... when she's ready, let her know... I'll be waiting to hear from her."

Lois nodded, then leaned heavily on the door as she watched Clark walk away. Chloe wasn't the only one under stress. Her erratic behavior was taking its toll on Lois and Lucy, not to mention Pete. However, none of them had the heart to leave her.

"Thanks for getting rid of him," Chloe said softly from the stairs. "I really wasn't in the mood."

"I know. He just wants to help, though." Lois started to close the door, but left it open when she saw that Lucy had pulled into the spot just vacated by the Kent truck.

"Help? Lois, he's not my friend. God, I wish you could just understand what it was like..."

"What what was like?" Lucy asked as she entered with her arms full of groceries. Lois took one sack, but waited to hear Chloe's answer.

"Walking into that barn... seeing them kissing like that... I mean, in light of what's happened to my dad, it seems pretty insignificant, but still..."

"That was over a year ago," Lucy replied. "You all have moved on, you know."

Chloe looked at her cousin blankly.

"Yeah," Lois added. "Besides... um, is it really any different than what you've sort of done to Pete with Lex? Granted, Pete doesn't know, but still..."

"What?" Chloe said, surprise evident in her voice. "Pete doesn't feel that way about me! Besides, even if he did, Lex blackmailing me and Clark kissing me aren't even close to the same thing." She rolled her eyes, then stalked into the kitchen.

Lucy watched her go, confused.

"Do you think she's suffering some sort of severe memory loss?" she whispered.

Lois shrugged, and Lucy started for the kitchen with her bags. Just before she reached the door, she turned back.

"Chloe... and Lex... they, uh..."

"Yeah."

"Oh."

"Yeah." Lois stood for several minutes, lost in thought, before following her sister.

* * *

"Chloe Elizabeth Sullivan, get your scandalous butt down here **right now**!"

Chloe walked to the head of the stairs and cocked an eyebrow at Lois.

"Yes?"

"I just had a very interesting phone conversation. I was calling to check about my application to intern at the Daily Planet, and was informed that they were seriously considering me, but I would have to choose a pen name because they already have a Lois Lane submitting stories."

"Really? That's weird. What name will you choose?"

"Oh, I don't know, I was thinking about 'Chloe Sullivan'."

"Um, why? I've already written for them anyway."

"Uh-hunh. Funny thing, after sitting on hold for a few minutes, the guy came back and told me that a couple of the secretaries said this other Lois was actually covering her _own_ name. Apparently she decided to take the name of her cousin... her cousin who, and I quote, 'wasn't interested in journalism.' Ring any bells?"

"No. Seriously, Lois, I have no idea-"

"Right. So it's just a coincidence that she happened to show up _immediately_ after you were fired from the Planet?"

Chloe sighed.

"I wasn't fired. I had to leave because Lex wasn't comfortable with my position to expose him or my working indirectly for Mr. Luthor."

"What the hell? Chloe, you told me yourself that you were fired because you refused to dig any deeper into Clark's life for that scumbag."

"You must have misunderstood," Chloe replied icily. She started to turn back to her room.

"Don't you dare walk away from me! To hear you talk, I've been suffering from a case of extreme density for the past year! I think it's time you accept that something isn't right!"

Chloe glared at her cousin.

"You can leave anytime, you know." She entered her room and slammed the door. Closing her eyes, Lois drew a ragged breath.

"I know you think I can't see you scrunched down in the couch."

Lucy guiltily slid up in her seat.

"Sorry."

Lois walked around and flopped down beside her sister.

"What are we going to do?"

* * *

Lionel rose from his seat on his bed at the sound of footsteps in the corridor. It wasn't mealtime, so that meant he had a visitor.

"Mr. Kent, to what do I owe the honor?"

"What did you do to her?" came the growled reply.

"To whom?"

"You know damn good and well who I mean!"

"I'm afraid I haven't a clue as to what you're talking about."

Clark slammed his fist into the bars of the cell, barely catching himself in time to keep from bending the iron rods.

"Chloe Sullivan!"

"Ah, yes, I heard about the Sullivans' unfortunate incident. It's hard to believe my son would stoop so low, but I think we're all aware of his compromised mental condition."

"And I guess you expect me to believe he attempted to poison himself, too?"

Lionel shrugged.

"Guilt is a formidable opponent, Mr. Kent."

"One my father's never had the pleasure of making acquaintance with," said a steely voice from the door.

"Lex. What an unexpected surprise!"

"No, Dad, unexpected surprises are finding out close friends have had completely new personalities blown into them courtesy of a house explosion. I'd planned to ask you a few questions about Miss Sullivan myself, but it seems Clark's beaten me to it."

"Well, son, as I was about to explain to your young friend, sometimes trauma can cause unexpected side effects."

"Like an extraordinarily convenient memory loss?"

"Perhaps. Or perhaps she was just tired of all the lies you were forcing her to tell against your own flesh and blood."

"There's a topic I'm sure you're well-versed in," Clark spat.

"Yes, Mr. Kent, and speaking of trust... did you enjoy the information I shared with you on your last visit?" Clark's only response was to clench his jaw, and Lionel continued. "As I mentioned a few moments ago, Lex is not as stable as one might hope for someone now in charge of a multi-billion dollar corporation."

"Mr. Luthor, you are a sick, sick man. I will find out what you've done to Chloe, and you will pay." With that, Clark stormed out of the small corridor. Lex waited until the door clicked shut, then turned to his father. Smirking, he stepped up next to the bars.

"And you can rest assured that if he doesn't," he whispered conspiratorially, "I will. Double." He winked at his father's glowering look and followed his friend out the door.

Lex caught up to Clark just outside the security gate.

"Clark, I didn't see your truck in the lot."

"I took a cab."

"All the way from Smallville? That must've wiped out your allowance for the rest of the year."

"Only from the bus station."

_He's getting better at this, _Lex noted with mild amusement. "Then I hope you'll accept a ride home." Clark nodded his agreement.

For the first half of the drive, both men were silent, lost in their own thoughts. Clark was beginning to think that he should perhaps try to make some polite conversation when they reached the bridge spanning Dole Dam. Just as he cleared his throat to speak, he was thrown forward in his seat when something rammed the Porsche from behind.

The car veered across the lanes and swerved dangerously close to the safety rails at the edge. Lex swore and yanked the wheel back, jamming his foot on the accelerator at the same time. In approximately three seconds, they would be travelling upwards of one hundred miles per hour, quickly outpacing whatever hit them. Unfortunately, it only took about one and a half for that something to hit them again. The Porsche spun into the guard rails backwards; Clark felt more than heard the sickening crack of the painfully substandard safety bars as the rear of the car slammed into them. The back wheels slid over the edge of the dam.

Lex floored the accelerator, and the front wheels grabbed the asphalt and dragged their counterparts back onto the road. But before they could go any further, a large van rammed into the hood of the car; despite its powerful engine, the small Porsche couldn't hold its own. It was slowly pushed back towards the edge.

His fear of heights going into overdrive, not to mention his concern for the fragile human life in the seat next to him, Clark leaned forward, straining against his seatbelt. His eyes squeezed shut with the effort he was making, hoping the sheer power of his Kryptonian weight would push them forward. He couldn't do anything else, because he was afraid that any move he made would throw the car off-balance and send Lex crashing into the water far below.

To his surprise, Clark realized he was rising from his seat. He opened his eyes to find the Porsche making headway against the van, pushing it back. Excited to find that his efforts were actually working, he threw all of his concentration into moving further.

Lex gave an uncharacteristic yelp of surprise when his car suddenly leaped forward. The van skidded across the road and into the opposite guardrail. Moving on instinct, he slammed on the brakes before his badly damaged auto could follow their attackers off of the road. Inches from the edge, his peripheral vision caught Clark throwing himself backwards in his seat. The Porsche screeched to a halt.

Much later, Lex watched Martha Kent weave through the emergency vehicles to find her son, Jonathan just behind her. Clark rose to accept his parents' relieved embrace, then started to follow them back to the truck.

"Clark, wait," Lex called out. Clark turned, then jogged back to his friend.

"Lex, I'm sorry, I thought you were already gone."

"Not yet. Listen, Clark, I know you saved my life today... again." Clark started to protest, but Lex went on. "I don't know how you did that, or any of the other miracles you seem to perform on a regular basis. The truth is, I don't give a shit anymore. I just need your guarantee that you will do whatever you can to make sure I live long enough to ensure my father is put away for good."

"Lex, I-"

"I mean it, I don't need any excuses or explanations. Just your word."

"I was going to say... Lex, I will make sure that we _both_ make it to your father's trial." When Lex raised his brows in surprise, Clark grinned. "The bastard tried to kill me today too, remember?"

Lex clapped him on the shoulder, relaxing into the first real smile he'd worn since his Chloe had disappeared.

* * *

A few days later, Lois strode into Lex's office in the mansion and shut the door. He quickly finished the call he was on, then turned to the young brunette.

"Miss Lane, what can I do for you today?"

"I can't stand this anymore, Lex. Chloe hasn't spoken to me in days because I confronted her about her bizarre behavior. Pete tried to get her to see my point of view, and she told him that she hated to sound like Lana Lang, but she wasn't really all that surprised that I'd taken this attitude. She said abandoning her seemed to run in her mother's family."

"A low blow."

"A completely ignorant one. Lex, _Gabe _was my mother's brother. Chloe's psychobitch mom isn't part of our family at all!"

Lex leaned back in his seat, pondering the information.

"And it isn't just that. She doesn't act at all like herself, and there are so many things she doesn't remember. Lucy and Pete have been quizzing her... considering all she's either forgotten or has totally new explanations for, I'm surprised her mind is functioning at all."

"You think she's been brainwashed?"

"Possibly. I don't know. So I need a favor."

"Anything."

"An unlimited expense account. No questions asked."

Lex pondered only briefly.

"One question asked."

"Ask it now."

"Where are you going?"

"Wherever the trail leads me, I guess. Lucy is staying here with Chloe. Pete is with me."

After what he'd witnessed the over the past few months, Lex knew there were few people in the world that he would trust to take care of a friend more implicitly than Pete Ross. He knew that the young man was probably nearly as determined as he was himself to make Chloe right again. Since it wasn't feasible for him to investigate the matter himself, he knew that Lois had presented him with the best possible plan. He nodded at her.

"Agreed. I'll have the information for you first thing in the morning."

"Thank you." She rose and headed for the door. Just before she left, she turned back to him. "For what it's worth... it would kill her if she knew what she was doing to you."

Lex tried his best to smile his thanks, but all he could manage was a deep breath. Tears stinging her eyes, Lois hurried away.

* * *

"Allô?"

"Hey shorty, what's crackin'?"

"Pete! What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, can't a guy just call up his friend?"

"Um, not when she's halfway around the world and he normally just emails."

Pete chuckled.

"Can't get much by you, can I?"

Lana's sarcastic snort came clearly across the line.

"Did something happen or what?" she asked.

"Not really. I just wanted to let you know I'm going to be really busy working on... uh... a project, and I probably won't be online as much."

"A project? For your... um... computer 4-H project? A... data retrieval kind of project?"

"Exactly. I'm hoping for a blue ribbon, so it's going to take some time, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. Listen, if there's anything I can do..."

"I know," he said softly. "I'll let you know, okay?"

"Okay. Be safe."

"You too. Bye, Lana."

"À bientôt, Pete."

* * *

School started in late August. Through some means not entirely understood by anyone, Chloe was allowed to stay in her home, financed by the sizeable insurance settlement that resulted from Gabe's untimely death. Sam and Ellen Lane were loathe to leave their young and vulnerable niece alone, but Lois had inexplicably decided to enroll at KU-Wichita. Finally, they consented to letting Lucy begin her junior year at Smallville High School to give them regular reports.

At the end of the first day, Clark made his way to Chloe's locker with more confidence than he felt. Lucy was already there, trying desperately to convince Chloe that it would be a good idea to appoint her sports reporter for the Torch.

"There _is_ no human interest angle to the football team. Trust me, I've looked."

"Well then perhaps I could try my hand at photojournalism at the practices. You know, show their camaraderie on the field... in the locker room... Throw me a bone, here, Chlo!"

"I don't think I've got the sort of bone you're looking to catch, Lucy," the blonde replied, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Hey!" Clark interjected. "First day of school, Chloe. We wouldn't want to break tradition our senior year!"

Chloe turned to glare at him.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, we always go for ice cream after the first day. Compare notes on classes, catch up on gossip... Lucy could even come..." Clark faltered as Chloe showed no sign of softening.

"Whatever, Clark. I have stories to write. Lucy is free to do as she pleases."

Clark watched Chloe's back as she stormed off. Lucy patted his arm in sympathy.

"I think she's wearing down, farmboy. At least there weren't any expletives this time!" She smiled sadly at his forlorn look, then handed him her backpack. "Come on. You can buy me a sundae to make up for my lack of football player." Clark followed her to the parking lot with a sigh.

Chloe unlocked the door to the Torch office and tossed her bag in the general direction of the couch without looking. She nearly jumped out her skin when the thud she was expecting was replaced with an "ouch!" She whipped around and found Lex Luthor sitting there, her bag in his lap.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to stay away from me!"

"I just want to talk to you."

"I've heard that before, Luthor. Get out!"

"What's he done to you?" Lex asked softly, carefully moving closer to her. "What's he filled your head with?"

"The truth. Freedom. An escape from you."

"Escape? Chloe, I love you. You love me. Why would I do those things to you?" He was within a foot of her now, and she'd backed into the filing cabinets against the wall.

"You love- Are you going to try to rape me?" she asked, her throat constricting. Her eyes were wide and terrified. Lex stopped moving as all the strength drained from his body. He felt like he was going to be sick.

"Oh God. No. No, I-"

"I'll scream. The school is still full of people."

"Chloe," he whispered.

"Is everything okay?" Andrea, the Torch's new photographer, asked from the door. The room was silent for a full ten seconds before Lex replied.

"Fine," he said, backing away. "I was just leaving." Shaking, he pushed past the young woman and left the room.

* * *

"Mrs. Kent, hi," Chloe said as she opened the door to let the older woman into the house.

"Hello, Chloe. I just wanted to check in with you and make sure everything is going okay. How was school today?"

"Great. Everything's going fine. Lex bothered me a little bit, but it was no big deal."

Martha appraised the young woman carefully. Chloe had been on edge around her all summer, and she was sure it had to do with more than her feelings towards Clark.

"You know, Clark's friends have always been like surrogate children to me – especially since many of them have been without mothers of their own. You, Lana... Lex." She paused. She was determined to remain calm so the girl wouldn't run her off as she had her other friends. "I guess maybe I heard a different version of what happened today than how you perceived it." She clenched her jaw against the memory of Lex Luthor's pale face as he'd related the events of that afternoon to her before either of the Kent men came in.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Chloe bristled. "I assumed the Kent family would be taking Lex's side. He still has Clark's secret to keep you where he wants you."

"Chloe Sullivan, you know better than that. I'm sorry you and Clark have had your differences, but you _know_ Jonathan and I will always do whatever we can for you. And whether you like it or not, that includes telling you when you need help. You really need to see a doctor. Something is going on with you; you might not see it, but the rest of us do!"

Chloe's mouth opened and closed several times before she finally burst into tears. Martha instinctively pulled her close and rubbed her back. After a few minutes, halting words came through the sobs.

"I... I know. There's so... so much I can't remember, but... there aren't even any b-blank spots! It's just like big.. big chunks of time ne-never happened!" Martha rocked her gently until her tears finally dwindled to sniffles.

"I'll call a doctor for you tomorrow. We'll get through this."

"No," Chloe said, sitting up. "That's not a good idea. If he finds out you helped me, he might come after your family."

"We aren't afraid of Lionel Luthor."

Chloe looked at her oddly.

"I was talking about Lex."

* * *

Several weeks later, Clark sat at the table carefully considering his next move. One way would result in an immediate gain, but showed no promise for an overall win; the other would actually cause him to lose some at first, but would almost guarantee victory. He was about to choose the second plan when a shrill ring startled him. Jonathan looked up from the checker board.

"You're closer."

Clark nodded and rose to answer the phone, all the while watching his father like a hawk. The older man had been known to cheat when he could get away with it.

"Hello?" The other end of the line sounded like a war zone.

"Clark? Man, we need you!"

"Pete! Where are you?"

"Luthorco-" The line went dead.

Clark sped off into the night.

The next morning, Jonathan waited until the breakfast dishes were cleared to address his son.

"What happened last night?"

"Pete was in trouble. He and Lois broke into Luthorcorp and they got caught."

"Are they okay?" Martha asked.

"Yeah. Lois had been hit in the head before I got there, and Pete couldn't make it to the door carrying her." He stopped for a moment. "I'm not sure he would have made it anyway."

"Did they get any information that might help Chloe?"

Clark shifted uncomfortably at his mother's question.

"I think so. Pete... well, Pete said they thought it was best if they didn't tell anybody anything until they had all the details. They thought it might go better that way."

"I guess that's understandable. Pete, of all people, knows how dangerous it is to know a secret."

"Yeah."

"How is the case against Lionel coming?" Jonathan asked.

"I don't know. Lex is pretty discouraged, I think. He got Lucas to agree to testify without subpoenaing him, but he really can't provide much that actually has to do with the trial."

"Chloe's still planning to defend Lionel?"

"Yeah. Lucy's given up trying to talk to her until Pete and Lois find something solid." Clark sighed. "As of now, it's pretty much down to the jury believing me about Lionel erasing Lex's memory on purpose as a cover-up. Well, that and what Lex tells them about what Chloe found before the... before she... changed."

"Son, are you absolutely positive that Chloe really found that information, and that it wasn't actually planted by Lex?"

"Of course I'm sure," Clark said angrily. Jonathan rose and looked out the window thoughtfully for a moment, then turned and put his hands on his son's shoulders. Clark braced himself for the inevitable lecture that he knew was only going to infuriate him.

"Clark, your mother and I have decided that if it will help the case, we would be willing to testify against Lionel. I can't offer myself as much more than a character witness, but your mother worked for him, and we were both around Lex when he was being drugged."

Clark blinked a few times, processing what he'd heard. It was a far cry from what he'd expected.

"Can you just tell Lex, or do we need to call the prosecutor's office ourselves?" Martha asked.

"Uh... I don't know. I'll talk to Lex and let you know." He paused for a moment, looking first at his mother and then up at his father. "Thank you guys. I know this will mean a lot to him." Grabbing the keys to the truck off of the counter, he left to go visit his friend.

* * *

Three days before the trial was set to begin, Lex sat staring at reports at his desk in the mansion. He'd hoped to take his mind off of everything that had happened for a while, but he couldn't seem to concentrate on the words in front of him. If the trial didn't go well, he would not only have lost his chance to make his father pay for his crimes, but would also probably be facing criminal charges himself. He was about to get up and wander down to the kitchen when his laptop sounded an alarm that signaled that an expense account was being accessed. He idly maximized the window, curious to see where Lois was spending money now. He hadn't heard from her or Pete in several days.

His breath hitched as he realized it wasn't that account.

The alarm sounded again, signaling a second transaction. He gripped the desk as he looked at the locations. The first withdrawal had been in St. Louis, the second in Seattle. A full minute passed as he stared at the screen, and a third withdrawal popped up – in Gotham.

"Alicia," he breathed. It had to actually be her – no one else could be moving that fast. Flipping cards in his rolodex, he picked up the phone to call his investigator; he put it down again when another transaction appeared from Orlando. There was no way they'd track her down.

When the alarms finally stopped half an hour later, the account was empty. Lex sighed and leaned back in his seat. Scotch was sounding good – preferably the kind his father mixed.

* * *

Two days before the trial, Lana sighed in frustration as she ripped another page out her sketch book, then crumpled it and threw it across the room. She'd been trying to get the shadowed ripples on a piece of silk just right, and it wasn't working.

Taking a sip of her coffee, she closed her eyes. Her artistic skills had grown considerably over her months in Paris. However, it was impossible for her to concentrate when she couldn't think about anything other than the events about to unfold in Kansas. It didn't help that most people she went to classes with knew she was from Smallville and had overwhelmed her with questions about the upcoming trial. Lionel Luthor was a very powerful businessman internationally, and the prospect of him winding up on death row captivated the world.

Taking a deep breath, Lana picked up her pencil and glared at the draped silk. Regardless of what might be happening to her friends, she couldn't help, and her assignment was still due the next day. She was about to take her first stroke when the ding of an incoming email caused her to jerk and ruin yet another piece of paper. She swore, then marched over to the computer to see who had disturbed her.

_Be at the trial._

_Don't tell anyone you've heard from me._

_Pete_

The pencil rolled under the bed forgotten as Lana threw open her closet and grabbed her suitcase.

* * *

Lex sat in seat in the courtroom, struggling to maintain the impassive face he was known for. It was the third day of the trial, and he was getting nervous. Despite an excellent opening statement and strong testimony, the prosecution hadn't had much to work with after their key witness had switched sides. Seeing the woman he'd fallen in love with swearing under oath that he'd been blackmailing her for months wasn't an experience he was looking forward to.

Shifting slightly on the bench, he studied the gathered crowd. Lucas sat next to him in an unexpected show of familial support. He'd seemed to mature in the months since he'd found Lex near death in a pile of glass on the floor. Apparently, seeing your brother writhing in pain at the hands of your father was a sobering experience, even if you already knew that father was a monster.

Behind them sat the Kent family. Lana Lang had inexplicably shown up on the first day of the trial, and was now seated next to Martha on the aisle. Pete Ross's father was seated next to Jonathan with two of his sons, but Pete was conspicuously absent. Behind them sat the Lanes, minus Lois. Other than that, the room may as well have been filled with strangers for all Lex cared about their involvement. Most were either businessmen anxious to see his father fall or reporters.

With the entrance of the judge, the trial reconvened. The defense called their first witness of the day.

"Chloe Elizabeth Sullivan, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I do." She took her seat. Lex bit down hard on the inside of his mouth and concentrated on the taste of blood in an effort to block out her words as she was examined by the defense attorney. He was just starting to think he should have excused himself for her testimony when the doors to the courtroom burst open.

"Your honor! What she's saying is a lie!" Lois exclaimed, out of breath. Pete was just behind her.

"Young lady, you are in contempt of court," the judge boomed.

"No, _he_ is," she replied, pointing at Lionel. "I have papers here proving that everything this woman is telling you is a complete fabrication!"

The judge looked at her cautiously.

"You have thirty seconds."

"Okay." Lois rushed up to the bench and began laying papers before the judge one at a time. "I have here correspondence regarding surveillance and an incredibly thorough background check into Chloe Sullivan's life, signed by Lionel Luthor."

"I am not impressed."

"I also have orders for hypnotherapy, psychiatry sessions, and a drug regimen that would make the patient extremely susceptible to suggestion – all, and I quote 'to build Chloe Sullivan'."

"You're saying she's been brainwashed?"

"Not exactly. _This_ woman has been. But she's not Chloe Sullivan."

"Excuse me?" the confused young woman on the stand blurted.

"These are memos regarding the explosion of the house the Sullivans were in when Gabe was killed... including a directive to make sure Chloe was killed with him." Taking a deep breath, she laid the final set of papers on the bench. "And... records of the progress on building Chloe Sullivan – out of her clone."

The collective gasp that filtered through the room was lost on Lex as he clutched at Lucas' arm. Lana clapped a hand over her mouth in horror as comprehension of what Lois had said about the real Chloe Sullivan sank in. Clark closed his eyes and clenched his jaw, trying desperately to keep from superspeeding across the room and breaking Lionel Luthor's neck.

"So," the judge said slowly, perusing the papers, "you're telling me that the real Chloe Sullivan is dead?" Lucy Lane's sharp cry echoed through the now silent room.

_She screamed in agony as she awoke to blinding, burning pain. A vaguely familiar face leaned over hers._

"_Calm down, Renee," the woman said soothingly. "The doctors are going to take care of you, I promise."_

"_Where is my father? Oh, God... Daddy!"_

_The woman looked nervous._

"_Renee, you're delirious. Please be calm."_

_Who the hell was Renee?_

"_Lex..." she whispered. Then everything faded to black. _

Lois turned to Pete, who still stood by the door. He spoke into the phone that was pressed to his ear, then disconnected the call.

At least three separate people screamed as a young blonde woman suddenly appeared in the middle of the center aisle. At her side, leaning on her heavily, was another figure. The second person wore a long sleeved turtleneck, gloves, pants, and boots, and the head and face were completely swathed in a giant scarf. Oversize sunglasses completed the outfit.

"_Chloe, I know this is hard. But you're just going to have to trust me. If you go back, he'll kill you."_

"_Lex will protect me. Clark will protect me."_

"_Don't you get it? Lex **is** protecting you. But the only way he'll succeed is if you listen to me."_

"_I want to talk to him."_

_Alicia sighed._

"_I'm sorry."_

"No, Your Honor," Lois said softly. "The real Chloe Sullivan is right here." She nodded reassuringly at the figure. Alicia reached up to help her companion remove the cumbersome scarf and then the glasses. When she stepped aside, the woman underneath looked up.

"_How did you find us?" Alicia asked through gritted teeth. Every instinct was telling her to grab Chloe and disappear, but her charge was currently sobbing in the arms of the brunette that had stormed into their small motel room._

"_I believe we're working for the same guy," the man she recognized as Pete Ross said._

"_Then you know I have to keep her safe."_

"_I do, and you'll never know how grateful I am. But now..."_

_Chloe raised her head to look hopefully into her cousin's eyes. Lois gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, ignoring the ones streaming down her own._

"_Yeah, Chlo-worm. It's time to go home."_

Around the edges of her face, the scarring from the fire was intense. Her skin was mottled and rough. But in the center was the clear outline of two hands, thrown instinctively over her face at the first sight of her father being blown to pieces. With clear eyes, she stared defiantly at the judge.

"I believe you require my testimony," she said in a clear, strong voice.

"I object!" screamed the defense attorney. His cry was a moot point. Growling his rage, Lionel bulled his way through to the aisle and reached for Chloe's throat. But before he could quite reach her, Alicia pulled a small knife from her pocket and buried it deep in his ribcage. He staggered backwards, gasping for air, as the courtroom erupted in screams and pandemonium resulting from a mad rush for the door. She bent to whisper in Chloe's ear.

"Take care, Chlo." Gloved fingers squeezed her hand.

"Thank you."

Just before the guards could grab her, Alicia disappeared. Chloe swayed at the loss of support, but strong arms suddenly enveloped her. She looked up into the watery blue-gray eyes of the man that held her.

"Lex." Her fingers clutched at his shirt.

"Chloe... Oh God..." His fingers dug into her back as he pulled her close. "I thought... I... I'm going to take care of you now, I promise."

She nodded into his chest, feeling safe for the first time in months. Then Clark was there, and Lana and Pete, and she relaxed into the protective shelter of their group embrace.

There was so much to do, so much to sort out... but for now, all she had to do was breathe.

* * *

**Epilogue**

Clark stood outside the entrance to the caves, silently rubbing his palms together. The mid-October day wasn't cold; the chill in his fingers seemed to come from inside him. Since the day Jonathan and Martha had cleansed the cave of the Kryptonite-induced entity within, he'd felt nothing from the painted walls. Despite his relief at having been freed from the overbearing "father" he'd discovered over two years before, he didn't like the strange emptiness the giant red lamps had left in their wake. Once again, he was left with no purpose, no direction, and no tie to his Kryptonian blood.

Slowly, he descended the tunnel into the caves. He didn't really know what to do. He'd been coming down to the caves every weekend for months now, just to sit. Sometimes he spoke, sometimes he communed in silence. The damp walls had been his sole confidante when he'd needed to talk about Lionel's death, a combination of the wound Alicia had delivered and the liver disease that wouldn't let his body fight off the lethal infections that congregated hungrily in the damaged tissue. He hadn't been able to tell anyone else how he'd privately felt it was wholly appropriate that the monster had been made to suffer on for nearly three weeks, in constant pain from flesh that decayed from the inside out.

It had also been the cave that had listened in steamy silence on the hottest day of the year when Clark had shed confused tears over the suicide of Chloe's clone. Nothing that had happened had been her fault. Some part of her was actually a part of Chloe. She shared the same face, the same eyes... and because of that, the thought of her limp body hanging from the shower curtain rod in her room at Summerholt had him dry-heaving beside the irrigation lake long after the pounding rain had washed away the remains of his stomach's early spasms. In the ensuing heat and humidity, he'd stumbled down to talk it out with the ancient, unmoving figures adorning the walls of the closest thing he had to an ancestral home.

And it had been to the caves he'd come with the short letter he'd received from Alicia just two weeks ago.

"Dear Clark," he'd read aloud. "Before I spent nearly a year with Chloe Sullivan, the most important thing in the world to me was having you. I took the job protecting her just so you'd be impressed and want to thank me personally. But by the time I had the chance to see if you would, I realized I had changed. Watching Chloe keep fighting for her life, then keep hoping for a day when she could return home to her friends, her family, and the man she loved, I realized that there should be more to my life than an obsession over a man that deserved more than a girl that threatened all of those things in his life. Whether I'll ever find them for myself... I don't know. But I do know that my power is a gift, not a toy, and that I can use it to help even when I'm not getting a million dollars and a new identity. Will I ever help people on the level of Batman or the Green Lantern Corps? Maybe not. But I can do what I can everyday and see how far I get.

"For what it's worth, Clark, I'm sorry for everything I put you through. I wish you all the best. Please take good care of Chloe for me. Perhaps someday we'll meet again – if we're really lucky, perhaps even without bloodshed. Take care, Alicia."

So here he was again. With a sigh, he started in on a quick recap of his week at Smallville Community College and on the burgeoning relationship between Lana and Pete. He spent more time talking over his standard biweekly visits to Chloe in Metropolis. She'd been through two rounds of painful treatment already, and her burn scars seemed less and less visible each time he saw her. Lex was sparing no expense in her recovery, and she was determined to wear the sleeveless wedding dress she'd picked out for the ceremony that was only twenty months off. Despite her pain, and despite the ever-present grief over the loss of her father, Chloe was going to be okay. More importantly, she was going to be Chloe.

Finally, Clark stood. He saved the most important part of this visit for last. If it didn't work, he was determined to never return to the depths of the desolate caverns.

"I went to see Dr. Swann this week. He hasn't made much progress on unlocking the key... okay, that sounded corny. But anyway, he agreed that it might be a good idea if I brought it home with me for a while. So... um... here goes..." Clark lifted key in front of the indention in the cave wall and waited for the familiar glow to take hold of the small octagon and draw it in. When nothing happened, he stepped closer and carefully inserted it into its slot.

After twenty-five minutes of nothing, Clark took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. Disappointed, he started for the exit. But just before he reached the corridor, the light on the jagged walls shifted, and he saw the unmistakable silhouette of a man on the rock face before him. He spun quickly, and the figure spoke.

"My son. You do not remember me. I am Jor-El. I am your father. By now you will have reached your 18th year, as it is measured on Earth. By that reckoning, I will have been dead for many thousands of your years. The knowledge that I have of matters physical and historic, I have given you fully on your voyage to your new home. These are important matters to be sure but, still matters of mere fact. There are questions to be asked. And it is time for you to do so. Here in this, this fortress of solitude, we shall try to find the answers together. So my son. Speak..."


End file.
